About

St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church is located in west Denver, CO, nestled above Sloans Lake and just south of the Highlands. The parish was founded on July 9, 1907  by Rev. Joseph M. Desaulniers , who said the first Mass at a parishioners home. 900 people celebrated the laying of the first church cornerstone on June 30, 1907.

The first parish church had a single alcove altar, and Father Desaulniers decorated it with leaded and stained glass windows, an oak altar rail, and eight lightning rods, because he was terribly afraid of thunder and lightning.

Rev. James P. Flanagan assumed a forty-three year pastorate in 1926. From 1938 to the 1950's, the membership of St. Mary Magdalene jumped from 400 families to 1400, even though two new parishes, St. Bernadette (1947) and Sts. Peter and Paul (1949) were created.

In 1927, the parish purchased property in the 2800 block of Sheridan Boulevard, where a four-classroom school became a reality in September 1950. St. Mary Magdalene's finally had its own school, where two Franciscan nuns taught sixty-five students.

During the 1950's, more classrooms and an auditorium were added to the school which soon had eight grades. As the parish had outgrown the old church, Sunday Masses were moved to the auditorium, which seated 400. The old church building, at 2601 Depew, was sold to be recycled as the Templo Evangelico Bautista, which still remains today.

The school closed in 1979, however, in 1982 the parish worked with St. Anthony Hospital to open a child development center in the old school building and a playground north of the church. This eventually closed in the 2000's.

Father Flanagan, after 43 years as Pastor of St. Mary Magdalene and director of Mt. Olivet Cemetery, retired with the title of Monsignor in 1969. He died on December 21, 1980. Rev. Roy Figlino was appointed Pastor by Archbishop Cases, and converted the spacious rectory to the Villa Madeleine, a home for retired priests. 

In 1986, Gene Murray, a layman, was appointed administrator of St. Mary Magdalene. He handled the day-to-day operations while the retired Priests in residence handled the spiritual needs of the Parish. Deacon Richard Vieira was appointed parish administrator of St. Mary Magdalene after Gene Murray.

In the early 2000's, St. John Vianney Theological Seminary began using Villa Madeleine as a seminary house in order to house the numerous seminarians from Dioceses across the western U.S. that were attending the seminary near Cherry Creek. Rev. Luis Escandon, House Father and Formator for the seminarians in Villa Madeleine, was named Pastor of St. Mary Magdalene in November 2012 .

St. Mary Magdalene currently serves over 600  families. Our beautiful Church was built in 1950 and renovated in the 2000's.  St. Mary Magdalene is a vibrant, growing community and we would love to have you join us!
 

-Excerpts taken from Colorado Catholicism: The Archdiocese of Denver 1857 - 1989 by Thomas J. Noel

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St. Mary Magdalene is a parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Denver. Established by Pope Leo XIII on August 16, 1887, the Archdiocese is comprised of 40,154 square miles including the counties of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Jefferson, Larimer, Logan and Weld. The Archdiocese of Denver is led by the Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila, Archbishop of Denver.